A federal appeals court on May 19 struck down a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule that required broadcasters to report workplace diversity data to the agency, finding the FCC does not have the authority to compel the reporting of such information.
“While its authority to act in the public interest is broad, the FCC cannot invoke public interest to expand the scope of its authority to act in ways Congress has not authorized it to act,” Circuit Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod wrote for the unanimous U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit panel that ruled in favor of a broadcaster and broadcasting organizations that challenged the rule.
